30.11.04

FINISH LINE!

(Free picture hosting, yah, right, if anyone could decipher the information or it=f they put it where someone could actually find it. *sigh*)

I am a NaNoWriMo winner. I DL the official certificate and everything. Now I jsut gavhave to finish the D2mn book. *laugh* 10106 words so far and a few more scenes to write--well, maybe a bit more than that, but.... *snicker*

27.11.04

I should be able to get there for the next I-Con. John had been talking about a writer's creativity workshop thing for some I-Con, so next year would be a good thing, plus beig a staff meber would get me a free membership.

24.11.04

Out Of Touch

I will not be able to post anything online for the next few days. Terror's off from school for Turkey Day and until Monday so I'll be fortunate to get a word in edgewise until then. Ah, well--more time to catch up with my novel. I only have about 5k more words to go to reach 50k. i don't know if the book will be finished by then but at least I'll have reached that milestone.

23.11.04

National Novel Writing Penguin Month

Darn, I forgot about the penguin. Still, I might have introduced an expendable (if nasty) character. I'll have to see about that...

The approx. 45k mark wasn't an easy milestone to reach. I still knid of sort of have an idea where I'm going, but it's not easy to get from here to there. I have jsut nitroduced a new character into the mix, an antagonist who detests magic in any form and who also doesn't believe a woman has any palce on the batlefield even if she is His Majesty's mage and operating under oders. and BTW, HM is my antagonist who does not appear (at least not yet) in this story although he probably will towards the end since he switched bodies with my protagonist.

Convolutinos, confuzzlement and bemusions.....

Hey, I wonder if I can fit an irrelevant penguin into the story? I can always get rid of it later--or kill two fowl with one stone by having it be an expendable. Well, we'll see.....

19.11.04

NaNoWriMo Traditions And Legends?

18.11.04

Cybernetic Requiem Revisited or: NaNoWriMo Blues

Newer Used Computer Reschedule: December 04
Fred's got a few problems coming up so the 'puter's been rescheduled for after NaNo. That's okay, I'll try to muddle through anyway.
Here's an excerpt. yes, I decided that I am gonig to torture people for the sheer fun of it. (just kidding LOL). This is extremely rough, sorry about that.....

~ # ~

Rowan extinguished the amulet’s light. She led the way to the door and then opened it, looking to each side of her down the hallway. She waved Pahil to follow her and then stepped out into the corridor.
The dim light in the corridor cast an ominous gloom over the portraits that hung at intervals along its length. The one opposite the door which led into the king’s private chambers was that of a stern-looking fellow with flowing reddish-brown hair and beard who could almost have been a younger version of Lord Seadragon, if he had different eyes and chin. Did all the highbrow folks look so much alike? Well, not all—Lady Haramiko, for one. Lord Galen did look something like that, except for the ears chin and eyes, of course, but his Ma had been an elf so you could see where he got it from, that one.
Rowan hissed at Pahil to get moving and he did so, albeit a bit reluctantly. He had never been out of the king’s chambers so all of this was new to him as he was leaving it. Of course it distracted him! He quietly closed the door behind him and went to follow her down the stairs. They had to go quiet and slow; to be sure they made no noise in their progress. It would not do to get caught and taken into their army. No one knew he was inhabiting the body of the king, none but Rowan had ever seen His Majesty, so they had to get out without being caught up in this business.
When they were close to the foot of the stair they heard voices and had to duck back up the bend and just out of sight.
“Olin, you’d best look after your men. My kitchens can’t take in more out of this mishandling.” That must be Derry, thought Pahil. His voice sounded more like that of a young lad than a grown man, but the worry in his voice over his kitchens showed care for his demesnes.
He heard a loud, wet smacking of lips. “You know’s well as me that army’s gotta eat, Derry,” Captain Olin said. “We’re waitin on His Lordship and it ain’t our ken that he got sick ‘fore we got here.”
“Your men never did their own huntin’? We could use the meat.”
“Damn fires chased all the game away.”
The two men continued talking, their footsteps echoing down the corridors.
“Damn,” murmured Rowan loud enough for Pahil to hear but not for her voice to carry. Pahil’s startled chuckle made her shush him quickly.
“Sorry, Pahil whispered to her. “It’s just I ain’t expectin’ to hear a Lady such as yourself using words like that.”
“We don’t want them to hear us.,” she reminded him under her breath. “Still, that’s the escape route I wanted, through the kitchens.”
“They ever come up here?”
She stared at him. “Rarely.”
“Then like as not we’ll have to wait anyway. If they’re awake and to the kitchens, like as not there will be more of them.”
She sighed. “You’re probably right. I’m usually in my own room by now, so I always thought everyone else would be too.”
“Like as not you should expected the unexpected as well as stuff you know is gonna happen.” Like as not the king forgot that too, if he’d expected Pahil to be just a thief with no brains in his head and no friends here to speak of since Luk was still back by L’Adje in Thorne’s Holde.
The two of them settled themselves on the stair for a wait, maintaining a companionable enough silence. Pahil worried, though: what if they never managed to steal away from here? Rowan, he was sure, was a recognized mage; but if the person who had ruled this kingdom for so long, if he had changed bodies so many times so as not to be recognizable—well, if he got caught, he would be forced into the army. Rowan said they were desperate for men. The army itself would go towards Thorne’s Holde. If the army could leave now, before the king returned…
He turned to Rowan. The shadows formed interesting contours on her face, almost driving the thought from his head, but he managed to remember it well enough. “What’s the signal for the army to march?”
“When His Majesty sends word.”
“How will he do that?”
“Well, I was supposed to convey it for him, but I won’t be here to do it.”
“Were you supposed to go with them?”
“Well yes, I’m His Majesty’s mage, but…” She glared at him, which made for an interesting effect upon the stair. “Don’t tell me, let me guess…”
He nodded. “What better cover for us? Me for a soldier, and you already have a spot.”
Rowan shook her head. “If we run across His Majesty on the way, I’m dead, and if we try to desert and fail we’re dead.
“If His Majesty is still trying to get the book we have a bit of freedom,” Pahil pointed out, “and for the other thing the idea is to not get caught. Easy answer, right? We don’t need to grab a pillowcase worth of food form the kitchens, we’ll be sent with it for part of the army.”
“You’re technically insane, you realize that,” she told him.
He felt himself grinning at that. “Thanks.”
“It wasn’t a complement.”
“I know.”
“Well, if you’re determined for it,” she said. “The one thing is to convince them that you’re available to recruit.”
“I heard they took anything still breathing.”
She started to laugh. “Well, yes, I suppose you can put it that way.”
“You did put it that way.”
“Did not!”
“Did too—pretty much, anyway. They inducting the cook too?”
Rowan shook her head. “Not since he lost part of a foot in the last skirmish.”
“Part of a…?”
“Didn’t you notice the limp?” When he shook his head she sighed. “I wonder how you lasted so long as a thief if you don’t see things like that.”
Pahil grinned despite the circumstances. “I didn’t come here to steal anything, Lady. For that matter, if you remember, I was the one stolen, so that’s one up on the thief there already.”
“This is true,” she concurred; but when Pahil stood, she tried to get him to sit down again. “What are you doing?” she hissed.
“I’m going to volunteer for the army.” Pahil said, grinning, he couldn’t help it. “If I volunteer instead of waiting for them to come and get me, that gives me just a bit of an advantage. See, they won’t be expecting us to make a break for it when the first good chance shows itself.”
Rowan shook her head. “It sounds crazy. Still, it makes more sense than other ideas we’ve thought up both alone and together.”
“Exactly. It’s too crazy so they won’t expect it.” He looked towards where the two men had gone.
Rowan shook her head, her face even more solemn in the dark. “Pahil, you can’t just go into the kitchens like that, they will arrest and shoot you for a thief or a spy.”
“Well, like as not it would save you havin to find a new job.”
“That’s so funny I forgot to laugh.”
“We might as well move though, so they ain’t got to find us here.” The stair groaned slightly under his feet while he shifted.
“Hold -- if we wait until after they come out of the kitchens we can sneak though there,” Rowan said, stretching out a bit.
“Like as not we could sneak out now if we knew where to sneak off to,” Pahil said.
“What do you mean?”
“There’s got to be someplace where a guy who’s so not suspicious like me could hang around and not look suspicious till the cows come home or they want me in the army.”
"I'll let you know when what you just said makes any sense to me." Rowan took the half-filled pillowcase from him, setting it beside her on the stair.

17.11.04

Cybernetic Requiem Redux?

It seems that every time I turn off my computer that I have to defrag it or that it has errors tha trequite my immediate attention whenever I turn it on again.
Last night, thanks to erosion of printer data and the fact that it would not overwrite existing files, I had to uninstall printer codes from my system and then reinstall them.
Before reinstalling I of course diagnosed, scanend and defragged the fragging thing.
The printer finally worked, although it too several reboots this morning to charge it up again--but it's still saying that there are errors where there should be none.
I might just have to format the HD and start from scratch. *sigh*
First things first: Fred brings his old computer ot me on Saturday, it's newer than the older system I have been using (plus it has a DVD-RWr, whee!). First we transfer the files over, especially the word processor, and then I can try it. If I can get it to work consistently, I do know someone who lives around here who needs a used internet ready system so it should fil lthe bill as a quick fix, if I can overcome thee mnior problems.
I used to adore WordPerfect (until I saw 6.0 *shudder*). Now, I'm WAY too used to MSWord. Damn you, Bill Gates! The system's on every single computer. It doesn't even have a competent spelling / grammar chequer. I shouldn't think it would take tha mcuh of a leap to have it recognize that certain foreign words are names from their lcoatinos in a sentence o something.
Also, it hics ion some of the more common words. I have blocked them out mentally right now (I don't want to think about them) but maybe I should start posting Annoying Word Professing Functions (or Malfunctions) here at some ponit. It might be a hoot.
I'm the only one who reads my LJ anyway, LOL.
Drawn Together tonight, Comedy Central. It sems as if they are going to tackle bonbdage humor now, from the commercials, but we'll see.
(When is Snape's birthday anyway? Ms. Rowling?)

16.11.04

Well, it has begun (xposted from http://nanowriye.blogspot.com/)

Oh, sorry about that. *grin* I can't help the Clockwork Orange ikn-jokes every once in awhile though--anything to irk big Brother.

(What does the Big Brothers/Big Sisters club have eto do with t?)

Haven't you ever read George Orwell's 1984 Yeesh.

(I'm a mental image. Mental images don't read)

Then how are you entering data on the computer?

(. . .)

Ahem. Anyway, as I was saying, we all have ideas, whether general or specific, for books. The general idea behind National Novel Writing Year is to make 2005 The Year Of The Novel -- that is, you write a thousand (1k) words per week and at the end of the year you have a novel of 52k (52,000 words).

A thousand words a week isn't all hat much of a commitment. It's even like writing letters or email, not much at all, and you'll find yourself doing a lot of the tedious cerebral work of plotting and thinking about what you're going to write in the more boring moments of your non-writing life. Even if you're ust going to edit other stories and submit them (shorter ones) in your non-writing time (plus of course write other shorts), you'll find that 1k per week is manageable.

Let's give it a shot, shall we? You might be rather pleased with the results.

15.11.04

NaNoWriYe

14.11.04

A Funny Thing Happened On Thte Way To The Word Count

Well, guess what? The computer that died is working again. It changes its mind more frequently than the current rash of Hollywood divorces. ;-) I didn't get mcuh done today depite that, since I had to reboot my sysstem several times and try to sleep because I could not keep my eyes open but in all it was a pretty good day.

12.11.04

On My LJ Account...

I just posted my third theory as to the identity of the Half-Blood Prince. This third theory is based upno the poem that I found behind the door at http://www.jkrowling.com.uk today. Only thyme time will tell whether or not my theory is correct or erroneous in its conclusion. There would be, by my reasoning, be a rather storong argument in its favor, but that's just IMHO.

In case anyone is by any reason interested in my theory, you can find it Here.

Na-No-Blog-Mo

Cybernetic Requiem

My computer gave up the ghost last night. Oh, the power still works, but nothing else functions. Good thing I ssaved the bulk of my NaNo work to a text file so that I could switch to my 'notebook' (ie, not a paper composition book but a type of miniature computer, too smal lfor a laptop and too bulky for a goldfish bowl). My ex is giving me his old computer, which he will bring out one week form Saturday. In the meantime, no spellchecking or WCs for me until it arrives. I'll still try to keep writing though, and hope that notebook doesn't quit on me like the bluelight.com special did.

9.11.04

NaNoWriMo Computer Woes Redux

My computer was misbehaving again. That's yet another defrag and diagnostic and... *sigh* We should really take a survey: how many computers actually let their authors finish a NaNo project without having a nervous breakdown?

Terror came home from school ealy. She wasn't feeling well because of a sore throat and everything, but the feelings were compounded when she learned that a ninth grader who had been a student at her school decided that it would be a god idea to commit suicide by throwing herself in front of a train on the LIRR. Everyone was talknig about it at the scool and I think they are still scraping up the poor girl's remains.

I don't care how old your child is, how do you explani why someone wold kill themself? I did my best to explain it to her when she asked, not an easy task even if Terror's nineteen and not nine. Still, it's better to try and talk about it rather than let it fester.

Yesterday I managed somewhere in the neighbohood of 300 words before the computer bugged out; today, so far, jsut over six hundred so far. I'll have to shoot for 4500 or as close to that mark as possible to cover lost ground.

I'm in this for the long haul. I do like improv, and this is as improv as it gets in real life, non-comedic routine. ;-)

6.11.04

NaShoWriMo (National Short [Story] Writing Month]

I just lamented to a friend that it really is too bad that there's not a NaShoWriMo, a national short story writing month. The goal would still be to churn out a minimum of 50,000 words, only it would all be in the form of short stories. It would help get some folks in the habit of writing shorter works too LOL.

4.11.04

Anarchical Musings

My computer is actually working today. Before working on my novel, I'm backing up some Very Important Documents (i.e., short stories and the like). At least I have a backup computer, if all else fails: Terror's old system (not to mention a cheap little notebook, but Terror's old system has a modem and that one doesn't).

Knock, knock.

I think I'm doing rather well for NanoWriMo, all things considered. I have written more on the story now than in the past couple of years. I might actually stand a chance of finishing it this month!

Who's there?

Coral's going to be home very soon. She plans to go to a community college in upstate New York. She asked if I would be mad at her if she left me all alone. I told her that, no matter where she is, she's still my Baby Bunny and I'll always be with her (in spirit, anyway).

Modem.

I'm spending quite a bit of time writing in my online journals, aren't I? It actually helps me think right now, which what I need. Time to consider plots, timelines, and the like. Also to daydream about coffee. Cafè mocha. Raspberry mocha (my favorite). (I despise hazelnut LOL). Cinnamon vanilla. French market coffee, mellowed with chicory. Brown Gold Columbian coffee. *sigh* Earl Grey Tea. (Yes, I know it's not coffee, but I indulge now and again. I also like mint and licorice teas).

Modem who?

I enjoy my online time. I like writing stream-of-consciousness. I like writing fiction. I enjoy living other people's lives writing about fictional people that I would perhaps like to meet because they are interesting but who I prolly wouldn't stand a snowball's chance in Hades of talking with.

Modem computers fall for this joke than any other.

I'll be able to revise my word count total for tomorrow. Hallelujah! Now I just need to win the Publisher's Clearing House sweepatakes LOL.

2.11.04

NaNoWriMo Kickoff And Plot Bunny Bakeoff

I wrote 2,705 words yesterday (by Word's count), around 205 more than the minimum daily writing goal that I set for myself. This Is Not A Bad Thing. Let's see if I can maintain my present course for the month. ;-)

I don't feel like I'm cheating because I already had very nearly 10 written on the novel. I'm not counting that total towards my NaNo goal. The 2,705 are the first step towards my NaNo goal of an additional 50,000 words over and above what I had previously written. If I did count the prewriting then it would be cheating and that's Not A Very Nice Thing To Do.

It's interesting, setting myself a writing goal of five 500-word scenes per day. The 600 gives me a word goal for the scene and the number of scenes takes me a bit cloder in my quest for world domination to my ultimate NaNoWriMo goal.

1.11.04

Today is the start of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)

I haven't started yet (checking mail and things first), but I know my writing goal for today and plan to meet it. First things first, like coffee. ;-) I am not quite awake yet, so... I still have ot call the school too. It may be senior cut day, like Terror says, but still.....
I know where I'm going with TLGM. I have narrowed the outline to one viewpoint, figured out which story is the most pressing to tell. Lots more interesting stuff happens too, but I can always write them in separate books or novellas or shorts. The important thing is to write the one book from the one character's viewpoint. It's good practice for when I finally get restarted on SW.
Don't let anyone tell you that writing is easy. It's not, it jsut seems that way sometimes. It's like you're the God or Goddess of your own little universe and even you have to learn when to let characters die. So that kind of makes you a Deity-in-Training.
Now I'd better get the H-ll off the board for now so I don't go sticking my hoof in my mouth again (o, I do so love horsing around, without neighsaying....).